Bookme ReviewGreat Barrier Reef Full Day Snorkel Trip with Explore Group - Departs Shute HarbourPosted by Grace from United States on 12 Nov 2019

Good experience albeit some key disappointments

Grace said... The Great Barrier Reef. The world's largest reef system and one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Home to 10% of the world's fish species. You think it would have just a bit more respect... After having spent countless hours looking for a reef tour agency that would offer more than an hour of reef time for a price still somewhat affordable for a college student, my friend and I (both of us nature enthusiasts studying wildlife conservation) decided Explore offered the best bang for what we wanted out of our buck (maximum time observing the reef). Upon arriving to the Airlie Beach marina, we were greeted by our enthusiastic skipper who informed us it would be a bit windy and was looking like we couldn't make it out to the inner reef today. We were offered a full refund or a spot on the boat to proceed with their "windy day tour". Still promised with reef experiences (via the outer reef that surrounds small offshore islands) and determined to see this wonder with the only day we had, we went on with it. The reason I feel the need to discuss some key disappointments about my experience is perhaps because of my conservation mindset but are worth noting in my opinion. While in the water, I witnessed a guest treading water kick and break off a 6 inch piece of Staghorn coral with his flipper. I immediately let him know of what he was unintentionally doing. Although this was a sheer accident, I can't help but wonder how this could have been avoided. I believe a shifted emphasis could have easily prevented the situation. We were lightly reminded of watching where we kicked with our flippers in the intro briefing, but much more emphasis was put on how to properly operate the flippers, rather than being mindful and respectful of the sensitive environment we are in. Although I can only speak to my specific experience with Explore, my second disappointment is more oriented to the entire GBR region and accompanying tour agencies. With recent promotions of reef-safe sunscreen in the states, although subtle, I figured would surely be promoted by the GBR region and the tour agencies. I thought wrong. I couldn't even find it the local grocery stores. When we swim with regular sunscreen on, chemicals like oxybenzone can seep into the water, where they're absorbed by corals. These substances contain nanoparticles that can disrupt coral's reproduction and growth cycles, ultimately leading to bleaching. Sunscreens made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are mineral-based, and their ingredients are less harmful to corals and not linked to coral bleaching. But the only zinc sunscreen users in sight were myself, my friend, and one of the guides (you can tell because of the white residue it leaves behind). I suppose at this point, my review is only going to be read by those who truly care about this environment, so thank you for reading. I hope this helps someone.

Yellowtail fusilier (Caesio cuning)

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